Where is the True Home of Sport? An Analysis of the Locations Chosen by International Sports Governing Bodies (IGBs) To Host Their Headquarters

Creed, A.J
(2009)
Where is the True Home of Sport? An Analysis of the Locations Chosen by International Sports Governing Bodies (IGBs) To Host Their Headquarters.
[Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)]
(Unpublished)

Abstract

This dissertation examines why different International Governing Bodies (IGBs) have chosen certain cities around the world in which to locate their headquarters and what resources these particular cities possess that makes them attractive locations.

The research focuses on the IGBs themselves and examines the relevant literature on issues such as taxation and infrastructure that explain why various IGBs have come to their locational decisions. There is particular focus on the International Cricket Council, the Badminton World Federation, the World Squash Federation and the International Tennis Federation who all make interesting case studies as a number of them have relocated their headquarters in recent times. Therefore there were clearly reasons why the left location A in favour of location B.

I have adopted a qualitative approach through the use of interviews as a research strategy in contacting, and speaking to, certain representatives of the various IGBs and other complementary bodies. The study of IGBs has been a common occurrence, yet I believe in an increasingly commercialised sporting environment, these bodies provide interesting insights into the thought process that are behind locational strategy.

In using theories more often associated with genuine firms this dissertation offers a different approach on sporting study due to the fact that many IGBs now control multi million pound budgets and operate often in much the same way, and have the same desires, as firms themselves. Through the analysis of the results I have found that there are a number of factors relevant to these IGB decisions, namely the effects that taxation, tradition, infrastructure, language, cluster theory and knowledge spillover have on where IGBs choose to locate.

Therefore this research offers itself as an introduction the world of the IGB from an academic perspective and will hopefully lead to much more study.